The R.I.D.E. (Reach Inclusion Through Digital Empowerment For Migrant Women)training project, promoted by the Dedalus Social Cooperative, which power2Cloud joined, has recently concluded.
Since January, we have dedicated ourselves to training women with migrant backgrounds to enter the digital job market, a sector that now more than ever seeks skills and offers space for new professionals.
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"We structured a training plan using resources developed by our technology partners such as Shopify, HubSpot and Google and organized face-to-face classes with materials prepared by our team," explains Giordano Iovine CEO power2Cloud. "The study of online modules alternated with classroom lectures, thus stimulating discussion with meetings and team-building activities."
Although today it seems so easy and at everyone's doorstep to create compelling reels, curate Pinterest or Instagram feeds, it put a strain on the R.I.D.E. trainees to organize a photo shoot for the shots requested by D'Ordia, a shoe store that was involved in the project to witness the digitization of its sales, from its physical storefront to its online Shopify storefront.
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"Every task that revolves around business processes requires knowledge of vertical tools and skills," Giordano Iovine concludes.
"We are happy that these girls have put themselves on the line first for themselves and then to gratify the commitment and enthusiasm that our team has also put in over the past few months.
Supporting digitization, study and job placement for women, foreign women and mothers!
At a time in history when technology and cloud solutions make it possible to sell anywhere, stay connected, automate and optimize all resources, we know what the challenges of our time are: accessibility, sharing of skills, concrete opportunities to facilitate the inclusion of women, foreign women and especially mothers.
We confess, starting the R.I.D.E. project was not easy. Dedalus activated this project for the first time this year, and many of the foreign women who had enthusiastically participated in the Info Day attended the first classes, but then dropped out because their children were too young or other logistical problems.
You can imagine that it is not easy to find space and quiet to devote a couple of hours a week to training, especially if you have more practical and important issues to deal with.
Those who followed and stayed, participated in the training by taking advantage of the training calendar designed by power2Cloud with resources from HubSpot, Google and Shopify, to name a few.
Concentrating useful information to understand how to connect tools and features and transfer know-how to navigate these topics was not easy.
Together with the trainees, we delved into office automation resources, that is, those that are useful for sending emails, but also for storing data, sharing information, dealing withonline sales, the newsletter, or photographs for social.
There were several team-building moments in the classroom, in a course that in these months has solicited curiosity, sharing, and responsibility for the amount of new information acquired, but also for the expectations for the future.
At the end of this path in fact three girlswill be able to access a training internship of several months, useful to introduce the girls to the world of work in the digital field.
power2Cloud hopes to continue to embrace this challenge even more strongly in the coming years.
"We must work so that no more women are forced to leave a job or training opportunity because they are alone, are mothers or are still not fluent in Italian.
Disadvantages such as these happen to Italian women and triple for foreign women, especially if they have less fortunate backgrounds than others."
Before we say goodbye, we leave you with the thoughts that the female students shared.
The experience of female RIDE students
Anna: Following the video lectures and confronting each other in the classroom stimulated my curiosity
"I learned about the RIDE project by pure chance a few days before the info day. Studying communication the possibility of deepening my skills in the digital world immediately intrigued me and I was able to discover new aspects of business management that I didn't even imagine. Expectations were many, high, and they were not disappointed.
The aspect that most caught my attention was definitely Shopify; I knew the potential of the platform, but had never attempted the approach. The possibility of taking video lessons and being able to have comparisons for resolving any doubts thanks to power2Cloud continues to stimulate my curiosity.
What, on the other hand, surprised me the most is HubSpot; I didn't think there was a single tool that allowed for quick and easy CRM management.
Now that the course is coming to an end I have just as high expectations for the opportunity to put into practice what I have learned over the past few months, I hope to soon be able to "get my hands dirty" working in this area.
Yulianti: "women empowering women! I studied marketing, but I found so many new things"
"I discovered the RIDE project thanks to my Italian language teacher. When I read the brochure, I was immediately interested! Because the project emphasizes improving immigrant women's skills in digital marketing and for me the project is the way "women empowering women". How not to follow it!
I thought I would begin to understand and become familiar with some topics since I have a work background and experience in a marketing field, but I was wrong! These were totally new topics for me, soliciting skills that I have never learned or followed before. We learned about digital marketing, e-commerce, HubSpot, and everything about running an online business.
In addition, what was most interesting is that we had the opportunity to have brainstorming discussions with credible sources and experts in the field, such as power2Cloud and D'Ordia, the company that uses Shopify as its sales platform. From this, we can see the example of how digital marketing really helps to expand and transform by integrating physical store and online sales.
In addition to this, we had a guest speaker from the NGO, Stecca, the organization that focuses on innovative projects for youth and women. For me, all the sessions and classes absolutely provided fuel and inspiration to implement our ideas.
Since the project is finished, my goal now is to be able to apply the digital marketing skills I have learned so far, either by getting a chance or experience in some company or in my own project, to start my own small business of making handcrafted jewelry. This is going to be a long journey for me, it is not finished yet. I am aware that I always have to continuously study and keep my knowledge and skills updated.
I am very thankful to Dedalus and power2Cloud for starting this project, and a big thank you to Fatima, Alessia and Ilena for giving us their time and always being available.
Last but not least, I have enjoyed meeting, connecting, discussing and studying with you project girls. Thank you for all your support and motivation. I hope the best for our future!"
Ese: "I hope to work by putting the knowledge gained into practice!"
"When I first heard about the RIDE project, I was immediately interested to learn more about it, because I was told first of all that it gave support to women and more specifically to mothers. So, I started to really study, I confess! There is much to know and to work on.
I really love Shopify, but I have been learning more about digital marketing and other topics as well. I hope to work with what I have learned so far in the future."
Mariola: "I would like to sell items made from discarded movie tarps"
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"Definitely for me the experience of the R.I.D.E. project was a totally new experience. I come from the world of cultural-linguistic mediation, so the aspects of e-commerce and digital marketing are concepts I knew very little or nothing about.
As I went on with the activities, so many windows opened for me, I received so much stimulation, and I became more and more curious by hearing the video lectures. In addition, Alessia has been an inexhaustible source of information, suggestions and curiosities.
Standing in an environment where you can have a confrontation with other women, very young, and exchange some ideas, doubts and perplexities has been very enriching as well as fun (such as the experience with the photos for D'Ordia).
I hope to put into practice the most of the things I have learned also because the idea that has been with us for a few months now is to create a brand of bags and items made from tarpaulins discarded from movie theaters."
Ilena: "Meeting a company that has digitized, like D'Ordia, helped me understand the theory better."
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"As part of my Civil Service experience in the Dedalus Cooperative, it was a real pleasure to be included as support for the R.I.D.E.
project.
It was interesting to follow the various stages of the course and to learn in turn new things about Digital Marketing.
What impressed me most was the cooperation that took place among the participants, helping each other understand the more complicated courses and giving each other a helping hand to try to pass the final exam.
The in-person meetings organized by power2Cloud were also very inspiring.
Meeting live a company like D'Ordia, which has decided to expand the sale of its shoes online as well, was a great help in fully understanding the theory studied!"
Fatima: "cohesion in the group and mutual help to overcome small and big difficulties!"
"Being a tutor at the R.I.D.E. project training was an extremely stimulating experience.
Working on access to training and job placement opportunities for women with migrant backgrounds is a complex but compelling challenge. In addition, compared to men, women are less likely to work in the digital labor market, so it was really important to invest in this area.
The meetings were held both online and in-person, which allowed for cohesion in the group and mutual help among the participants. It was gratifying to see how having the support of other women can actually help overcome small and big difficulties!!
Now all that remains is to experiment in practice and carry out our dreams!"